Moroccan chicken recipe

This is a beautiful Moroccan recipe, one we’d serve up every week if time allowed. If you’re as keen on this style of cooking as we are, this dish may become one of your favourites, too.

Serves 6
Preparation 10min
Cooking 1hr
Skill level Mid

By
Allan Campion & Michele Curtis 

Ingredients

oil
1.5 kg skinless chicken casserole pieces or diced thigh fillet
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cardamom
1 pinch saffron threads
6 tomatoes (500 g), diced
250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp orange-blossom water
2 tbsp flaked toasted almonds
¼ cup coriander leaves
couscous, to serve

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Instructions

Heat a heavy-based saucepan over a medium–high heat. Add a generous splash of oil and cook the chicken pieces until golden brown all over. This may need to be done in batches. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Return the pan to the heat. Add more oil, if necessary, and cook the onion for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until soft. Add the garlic, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, cardamom and saffron. Cook for 1–2 minutes, then add the diced tomatoes. Lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Raise the heat, add the stock and chicken and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30–40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.

Remove the chicken pieces and set them aside to keep warm. Raise the heat under the saucepan and reduce the cooking liquid until it’s the consistency of thick cream. Add the honey and continue to cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring often, until it’s reduced and like jam.

Check seasoning, add orange-blossom water and return the chicken to the pan to heat through.

Scatter the chicken with almonds and coriander. Serve with couscous.

Recipe from In the Kitchen by Campion and Curtis, with photographs by Steve Brown, Lisa Cohen, Greg Elms and Matt Harvey. Published by Hardie Grant Books.